Thursday, September 29, 2005

Opening Night Party

Not only does Brent live with two other drama majors, but the apartments above the butcher shop are full with drama students. So, it was really neat; the party was spread over three different apartments.

The evening started out innocently enough. Myself and a few others from various plays hung out in the living room. Batman was our DJ, and he played some real chill (yes, that's right) songs. Chris, Anna's negative friend, showed me his new, amazing, and incredibly cheap keyboard (with no synthesizers, no less). We messed around on that for a bit. I wandered around the apartments, hanging out and talking with a variety of people, but I probably ended up spending most of my time in the living room dancing, singing, and playing piano.

Whilst I was leading over a dozen of us in beautiful songs, trouble was brewing with the It Happened in the Other Room cast. As Anna and I were dancing to Batman's rendition of "Home for a Rest", drama was flaring up left, right, and centre.

So, let us move away from the living room, and let's go upstairs to the kitchen, where the drama is brewing.

Apparently, Brent and one of his actors (Matt) got into a significantly large argument. From what Andrea told me, it appears that the fight started after Brent had downed three-quarters of a bottle of something really potent. So, it was most likely that Brent started the fight. He started saying how this and that was wrong with Matt's performance, how his "wife" lacked energy because of him. Then he started to attack the other actors, telling them that they didn't portray anything right, that their performance was off, that they were too slow, etc. Apparently, Matt started to argue back with him (something you shouldn't do with such an immature director). Of course, alcohol-filled Brent started shouting back. Before long, Matt, and most of the other cast members, left the party in a huff, after Brent had told Matt to "get the fuck out of here." It was Brent's apartment, so technically, he is allowed to say that.

Andrea and another guy from her play were the only two cast members who stayed. They were not directly involved, but the fight had essentially turned the cast members against Brent, their beloved director. I was chatting with Andrea for a bit, when glazed-over-eyes Brent came up to us.

"Uh, can I talk to you alone, Andrea?" slurs Brent.

She agrees, and I move promptly move away. Please read this for some background information about the Andrea and Brent fiasco.

As she relates to me later:

Andrea: "He was so angry the entire time, and he wouldn't stop talking about how mad at Matt he was! I tried to get him to calm down, but at this point, I don't think I could have done all that much."

He then takes her to the corner of the kitchen and says, "I don't want the whole cast to think less of me... especially you," he says, looking at her straight in the eyes.

"Does it bother you? Tell me if it does," he insists. He puts a hand on her arm.

"That's fine, Brent, I don't mind", she says, looking at him, unsure of what to do.

He gets closer to her, runs his hand from her collar bone, tracing her breast, all the way to her belly button. This happens in one swift motion, too quick for Andrea to do anything. He is about to say something when...Diana, the girlfriend, walks over. She whispers something in his ear and walks away.

"Uh oh", says Brent, "she's mad."

Andrea takes a massive step back.

"About what?" she snaps.

"Nothing", he says quickly.

It's obvious. Andrea leaves.

And now, let us go back to the living room.

I am there, playing jazz piano with a certain Sam, who teaches me the art of sounding good by simply banging on the black keys.Ryan (another redhead) and I chat for awhile, Andrea takes pictures, and then we all assemble into someone's bedroom to a fun rendition of "Barrett's Privateers". After the song ends, Andrea and I take our leave.

I must say, I had a wonderful night. Andrea, however, can't say the same.

"There's going to be tension with the entire cast now", she laments, "well, then again, we always had tension, but it's different this time."

About Me

An avid lover of bananas, travelling, and being on stage, Zaz takes extreme pleasure in speaking in at least three different languages. She refuses to wear jeans and fears ordering pizza over the telephone.